Although the law lays down lists of documents to be kept, the retention period is not the same for everyone. It differs depending on the nature of the document.
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What papers need to be kept?
A large number of papers from everyday life have to be kept. Examples include (but are not limited to):
Papers related to your work:
- Your payslips.
- Your employment contracts.
- Your balances of any account.
- Your work certificates.
- Your Pôle emploi certificates.
Papers related to your family:
- The family record book.
- The marriage contract.
- Divorce and adoption decrees.
- Civil status certificates.
- The PACS agreement.
Papers related to your accommodation:
- Miscellaneous bills: water, gas, electricity, mobile phone, internet, works.
- The chimney sweeping certificate.
- The annual maintenance certificate for your boiler.
- Your title deed, if you are a homeowner.
- Your rent receipts, if you are a tenant.
- The minutes of the general meeting of co-ownership.
- A rental agreement.
- An overview of the situation.
Papers related to your various insurance contracts:
- The insurance contract.
- Notice of Maturity.
- The cancellation letter.
- Receipts.
Bank documents:
- Mortgage and consumer credit contracts.
- Account opening papers.
- Account statements.
- Check stubs.
Documents about your car:
- The purchase invoice.
- The certificate of transfer of the vehicle.
- The driver's license examination certificate.
- Fixed fine tickets.
- Bills related to your car's repairs.
Documents related to your household appliances:
- Purchase invoices.
- Warranty certificates.
Tax documents:
- Income tax return.
- The tax notice.
- Local tax notice.
Health Writings:
- A bill from a public hospital or private institution.
- The vaccination booklet.
- The blood group card.
- The health booklet.
- A medical certificate.
- A medical examination.
- A statement of reimbursement for health and maternity insurance.
How long do I have to keep my papers?
The law sets retention periods for a list of predefined documents. Timelines vary depending on the type of document.
These can range from 1 year to permanent storage.
A duration can also be modelled on the duration of the act itself. For example, a car repair invoice must be kept for the entire duration of the vehicle's custody.
Can you keep your papers longer?
Yes, absolutely. The law only sets minimum retention periods.
You can keep them longer, at your convenience.
What documents should be kept and for how long? Summary table
| Family of Papers to Keep | Document Type | Legal or recommended retention period | Text |
| Work | Salary slip | Until the pension is paid out | Article R3243-5 of the French Labor Code |
| Employment Contract | Until the pension is paid out | No legal basis: precautionary rule | |
| Balance of any account | Until the pension is paid out | No legal basis: precautionary rule | |
| Certificate of employment | Until the pension is paid out | No legal basis: precautionary rule | |
| Pôle emploi certificate | 2 years from the date of registration as a jobseeker | Decree No. 2019-797 of 26 July 2019 on the unemployment insurance scheme | |
| Family | Marriage Contract | Lifelong | No legal basis: precautionary rule |
| Family record book | Lifelong | No legal basis: precautionary rule | |
| Judgment (divorce, adoption) | Lifelong | No legal basis: precautionary rule | |
| Civil status certificate | Lifelong | No legal basis: precautionary rule | |
| PACS Agreement | Lifelong | No legal basis: precautionary rule | |
| Housing | Water, electricity, gas bills | 5 years | Article 2224 of the Civil Code |
| Telephone bill, internet bill | 1 year | Article L34-2 of the French Postal and Electronic Communications Code | |
| Chimney sweeping certificate | 1 year | Article L2213-26 of the General Code of Local Authorities | |
| Annual boiler maintenance | 2 years | Article R224-41-8 of the Environmental Code | |
| Title deed | Lifelong | No legal basis: precautionary rule | |
| Rent receipt | Rental period + 3 years | Article 7-1 of Law No. 89-462 of 6 July 1989 | |
| Minutes of the General Meeting of co-owners | 5 years | Article 2224 of the Civil Code | |
| Rental Agreement | Rental period + 3 years | Article 7-1 of Law No. 89-462 of 6 July 1989 | |
| State of play | Rental period + 3 years | Article 7-1 of Law No. 89-462 of 6 July 1989 | |
| Insurance | Insurance Contract | Document Date + 2 years | Article L114-1 of the Insurance Code |
| Notice of Expiry | Document Date + 2 years | Ditto | |
| Termination Letter | Document Date + 2 years | Ditto | |
| Receipt | Document Date + 2 years | Ditto | |
| Bank | Credit Agreement | 2 years from the last maturity date | Article R312-35 of the French Consumer Code |
| Account opening | 5 years from account closure | Article 2224 of the Civil Code | |
| Statement of Account | 5 years from the operation | Article 2224 of the Civil Code | |
| Pay stubs | 5 years from the operation | Article 2224 of the Civil Code | |
| Car | Purchase Invoice | Vehicle Shelf Life | No legal basis: precautionary rule |
| Certificate of Assignment | Vehicle Shelf Life | No legal basis: precautionary rule | |
| Driver's License Examination Certificate | Until receipt of the driver's license | Order of 20 April 2012 laying down the conditions for the establishment, issuance and validity of driving licences | |
| Fixed fine report | 3 years | Article 133-4 of the Criminal Code | |
| Invoices related to your car's repairs | Vehicle Shelf Life | No legal basis: precautionary rule | |
| Appliances | Purchase Invoice | Until the end of the warranty | Article L217-22 of the French Consumer Code |
| Certificate of Warranties | Until the end of the warranty | Ditto | |
| Taxes | Income tax return | 3 years from the year following the tax year. | Article L169 of the Book of Tax Procedures |
| Income Tax Notice | 3 years from the year following the tax year. | Article L169 of the Book of Tax Procedures | |
| Local Tax Notices | 1 year | Article L173 of the Book of Tax Procedures | |
| Health | Public Hospital Bill | 4 years | Article L6145-9 of the Public Health Code |
| Private Facility Invoice | 2 years | Article L160-11 of the Social Security Code | |
| Vaccination booklet | Lifelong | No legal basis: precautionary rule | |
| Blood group card | Lifelong | No legal basis: precautionary rule | |
| Health booklet | Lifelong | No legal basis: precautionary rule | |
| Medical certificate | Lifelong | No legal basis: precautionary rule | |
| Medical Examination Report | Lifelong | No legal basis: precautionary rule | |
| Health and maternity insurance reimbursement statement | 2 years | Article L332-1 of the Social Security Code |
Summary table of documents to be kept
Why keep papers for a while?
There are several reasons why the spirit of the texts requires you to keep certain administrative documents at home for a certain period of time.
Especially:
- An Administration may ask you to produce them to prove that you have fulfilled some of your obligations.
- They can be used as evidence in the event of litigation before the courts.
- They may allow you to exercise a right. For example, claiming money back.
Except in the cases provided for by law, it may nevertheless be in your interest to keep certain records to justify that you have taken steps in the event of an administrative control or litigation.
Can I keep my documents in electronic format?
Faced with the development of digital technology and the dematerialization of procedures, the law has been adapted to ensure a legal framework for electronic documents and to recognize their legal value.
Article 1365 of the Civil Code defines a written document as a series of letters, characters, numbers or any other signs or symbols with an intelligible meaning, regardless of their medium. This definition therefore makes no reference to any material medium.
Article 1366 of the Civil Code then specifies that electronic writing has the same probative value as paper writing. Provided that:
- The person from whom it emanates can be duly identified.
- And that it be established and kept in conditions that guarantee its integrity.
In short, the intangible nature of a document does not diminish its probative value. So you can keep it in electronic format.
On the other hand, if the document to be kept has been given to you in paper format, it is preferable to keep it that way. But you can perfectly scan it to make a copy of it in case you lose the original. The reliable copy has the same probative value as the original. Reliability is left to the discretion of the judge (Article 1379 of the Civil Code).
How long do I keep papers? Key takeaways
A large number of administrative documents from your daily life must be kept. Retention periods may be set by law. They can also be a matter of caution.
There is nothing to prevent you from keeping your papers longer. The texts only set minimums.